Written Answers Monday 19 November 2007

Scottish Executive

2014 Commonwealth Games

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what structure will be put in place to facilitate the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Stewart Maxwell: The Organising Company, under the ownership of Scottish ministers, Glasgow City Council and the Commonwealth Games Council for Scotland will be charged with bringing the vision for the 2014 Commonwealth Games to life.

  The Glasgow 2014 Strategic Group, chaired by the First Minister, will scrutinise the detailed business plans prepared by the Organising Company, and will agree on an appropriate strategic direction for the games

2014 Commonwealth Games

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what legacy the 2014 Commonwealth Games will leave for Glasgow.

Stewart Maxwell: The games offer the potential to promote the city as a tourist destination, help develop a sense of pride in the community, encourage social involvement and improve skills for the local population. In addition they will transform one of the most deprived areas of our country and provide superb new facilities and opportunities to local people. The athletes’ village, National Indoor Sports Arena and Velodrome will all be constructed in Dalmarnock, in the heart of the Clyde Gateway, creating an on-going infrastructure legacy for the area. After the games, the village will be made available for a mix of social and private housing.

  Further information on how we intend to deliver a lasting legacy in much wider areas from the 2014 Commonwealth Games will be published within the first 100 days since winning the right to host the games

2014 Commonwealth Games

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what legacy will accrue to Scotland from hosting the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Stewart Maxwell: The legacy of the Glasgow 2014 games will be seen in many areas.

  Around 15,000 volunteers will be needed to help run the games. All of the volunteers will have the opportunity to be able to develop new skills and gain new experiences and confidence.

  There will be new jobs – initial economic projections are that 1,200 new jobs will be created at a Scottish level.

  Scotland will welcome many thousands of visitors for the games in 2014. Many are expected to travel around the country, to experience great Scottish hospitality, and to come back again and again. Scottish businesses can bid for contracts arising from the games.

  But the most important legacy should be in the field of health. We have an unrivalled opportunity to use the power of sport to inspire people of all ages to lead active and healthy lives.

  Further information on how we intend to deliver a lasting legacy from the 2014 Commonwealth Games will be published for consultation within the first 100 days of winning the bid

2014 Commonwealth Games

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that the Parliament is kept informed of progress towards the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Stewart Maxwell: Scottish ministers will report to Parliament on the progress of preparations for the games on a regular basis.

Cancer

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to introduce a lung cancer screening pilot programme.

Nicola Sturgeon: There are at present no plans to introduce a lung cancer screening pilot programme. The UK National Screening Committee (NSC) provides advice to government on matters relating to national screening services. The NSC does not currently recommend the introduction of a national screening programme for lung cancer on the grounds that there is insufficient evidence at present to suggest that routine screening would be effective.

Civil Servants

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive further to the answer to question S3W-4825 by John Swinney on 15 October 2007, whether there is any bar on citizens from nations outwith the United Kingdom working for the civil service.

John Swinney: UK nationals or people with dual nationality with one part being British may apply for any post in the civil service. In addition, about 75% of Civil Service posts are open to Commonwealth citizens and nationals of any of the member states of the European Economic Area (EEA). The remainder, which require special allegiance to the state, are reserved for UK nationals. Non-UK candidates resident overseas are however not eligible to apply for civil service posts. Full civil service nationality guidelines are available on the Civil Service Recruitment Gateway website at:  http://careers.civil-service.gov.uk

  It is possible for non-UK nationals to be employed on a consultancy arrangement, depending on experience or qualifications.

Co-operative Development Scotland

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will increase support to Co-operative Development Scotland.

Jim Mather: The Co-operative Development Agency has already been allocated £3 million over three years to fund it’s activities. There are no current plans to increase this level of funding. Decisions on future funding will be informed by a planned evaluation in 2008.

Common Good Fund

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to conduct an audit of Common Good Fund assets across Scotland.

John Swinney: We have no plans to commission an audit of common good assets held by local authorities across Scotland. It is the responsibility of local authorities as trustees to manage assets held for the common good according to sound asset management principles.

Community Councils

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will increase the grant it gives to the Association of Scottish Community Councils and, if so, when it will do so.

John Swinney: The Association of Scottish Community Councils (ASCC) receives an annual grant of £25,000 from the Scottish Government. The ASCC was advised in April 2007 that options for future funding would be addressed on completion of the spending review. We will consider carefully any new bid for funding from the ASCC.

Community Councils

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to expand the role of community councils.

John Swinney: We are currently consulting stakeholders, through the Community Council Working Group and through a series of meetings with people who have a particular expertise in empowering communities, on the potential for developing the role of community councils. This includes identifying how we may enable community councils to play a greater role in Community Planning and also allow for them to have some control over existing spending in their area to meet specific local priorities.

Community Councils

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will proceed with the SNP manifesto commitments on community councils and, if so, which commitments and when these will be implemented.

John Swinney: We are proceeding with all of the SNP manifesto commitments relating to community councils. No date has yet been set for the implementation of any proposals or recommendations that result from these commitments.

Community Councils

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make additional revenue available to local authorities to enable them to increase the funding available to community councils.

John Swinney: Our general approach is to reduce "ring-fencing" of funding and be less prescriptive about how local authorities spend money. It will remain the case that each local authority will decide what proportion of their revenue should be available to fund community councils in their area.

Culture

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-4701 by Jim Mather on 12 October 2007, whether it considers the creative industries to be a nationally significant sector with potential for growth.

Jim Mather: The government recognises the creative industries as a successful and growing part of the Scottish economy. Specific elements of the creative industries, such as the digital media sector, have been identified by Scottish Enterprise as having particular significance and potential for growth.

  As mentioned in the answer to question S3W-4701 on 12 October 2007, we are currently considering how best to support all of the creative industries in Scotland and we are determined to play our role in creating the conditions for the sector to continue to flourish.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Economy

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it proposes any changes to the statistics available for monitoring the success of the economy.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Economic Statistics Plan for 2007-08 will shortly be made available on the Scottish Government’s website.

Energy

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of electricity has been generated from (a) coal, (b) nuclear power, (c) renewables, (d) gas and (e) other means in each month since May 2007.

Jim Mather: Data on electricity generation in Scotland is collected by the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR). Monthly data is not available. The latest data available is for 2005 and is shown in the following table, expressed in both GigaWatt hours (GWh) and percentage terms. It should be noted that Scotland generates more electricity than it consumes and around 20% of electricity generated within Scotland is exported to the rest of the UK.

  

Electricity Generation by Fuel Source (GWh)
2005
% of Total


Coal
12,160
24.8


Oil
2,720
5.6


Gas
8,294
16.9


Nuclear
18,681
38.2


Hydro pumped storage
643
1.3


Hydro natural flow
4,612
9.4


Other renewables
1,876
3.9


Total 
48,986
100

Enterprise

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated transition costs are for the reorganisation of the enterprise networks and what it estimates the net savings are from the abolition of separate local enterprise company boards and their associated governance arrangements.

Jim Mather: There will be some costs associated with the implementation of the reforms. The amount of those costs has not yet been determined but every effort will be made to minimise them. Similarly, there will be savings achieved through more coherent and focused activity but it is not yet possible to quantify these. However, I would expect to get pay back for any efficiencies within two to three years.

Enterprise

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the transfer of services from the enterprise agencies to local authorities will be accompanied by the full level of funding currently available to Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

Jim Mather: The transfer of responsibilities from the enterprise networks to local authorities will mean some reallocation of funds. The detail of this will be decided when the exact nature of the activity to be transferred is determined, subject to the outcome of the recent Spending Review announcement.

Enterprise

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it envisages local authorities having any direct role in attracting international inward investment within the reformed enterprise networks or whether this will remain the responsibility of Scottish Development International.

John Swinney: Scottish Development International will continue to take the lead in attracting inward investment to Scotland.

Enterprise

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that Scottish Development International retains its ability to identify companies ready to export or trade overseas if it and the enterprise agencies are no longer responsible for account managing companies identified through the Business Gateway service.

John Swinney: Scottish Development International will continue to lead in helping Scottish firms to export and trade overseas.

Ferry Services

Charlie Gordon (Glasgow Cathcart) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects tender documents to be issued for the operation of a new ferry service from Campbeltown to Ballycastle.

Stewart Stevenson: Scottish Government officials have discussed the project with Northern Ireland officials on a number of occasions and they continue to liaise closely to discuss joint working arrangements for taking the project forward. Respective ministers in Scotland and Northern Ireland will be discussing matters shortly with a view to reaching agreement on the next steps to be taken. Further information will be made available as soon as practicable.

First Minister

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to change the title of First Minister.

John Swinney: The First Minister has no such plans at present.

Housing

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the new houses referred to in Firm Foundations: The Future of Housing in Scotland , will be social houses for rent.

Stewart Maxwell: Firm Foundations proposes that local authorities, developers, housing associations and other stakeholders should aim to increase the rate at which new houses are built from 25,000 a year at present to 35,000 a year by the middle of the next decade. Given the long-term nature of the goal, the document does not make any assumption about how many of the 35,000 houses will be for social rent and how many for other tenures.

  In the period 2008-11, the Scottish Government plans to spend £1.47 billion on affordable housing, including new housing for social rent. This represents an increase of £130 million over provision for 2005-08.

  Used efficiently, this expenditure is sufficient to ensure, as a minimum, that completion of new affordable houses in 2008-11 exceeds the rate of completions in 2005-08. The Scottish Government wishes to ensure that the expenditure achieves a better outcome than that. Its proposal in Firm Foundations to award Housing Association Grant on a competitive basis is intended to achieve that objective by requiring new social housing to be built much more efficiently than at present. The number of new houses built under this approach will reflect housing associations’ ability to become more efficient.

Ministerial Cars

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the costs of travel by official car were for each minister from May to October 2007.

John Swinney: Costs incurred by cabinet secretaries/ministers for journeys arranged through the Government Car Services (GCS) are not available in the format requested. Overall running costs for GCS for the period May 2007 through to September 2007 were £388,417. The calculation of October’s costs will not be finalised until later in November.

  GCS provides/arranges transport for a wide range of customers, including Scottish cabinet secretaries/ministers, ministers of UK government departments when in Scotland, some senior officials at the Scottish Government, visiting dignitaries, and where necessary the transportation of official documents.

Ministerial Correspondence

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when I can expect a reply from the Cabinet Secretary for Justice to my letters dated 15 August, 26 September and 29 October 2007 concerning travelling people.

Kenny MacAskill: I have now written to Ms Godman addressing the issues she raised and apologising for the unacceptable delay in replying to her earlier correspondence.

Ministerial Meetings

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings it has held with the STUC since May 2007 and which ministers were involved in each case.

Jim Mather: Since May 1999, Scottish Executive ministers have been involved in the following bilateral meetings with the STUC:

  

Minister
Date


The First Minister
1 August 2007


Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism
17 September 2007


Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing
19 September 2007


Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture
20 September 2007


Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth
25 September 2007


Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning
26 September 2007


Cabinet Secretary for Justice
7 November 2007



  As well as these bilateral meetings, ministers have also hosted a number of other discussions in which the STUC has been a participant:

  

Minister
Subject
Date


Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism
Meeting with Energy Stakeholders
25 June 2007


Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism
Economic Development
27 June 2007


Minister for the Enterprise, Energy and Tourism
Enterprise Networks Reform
17 August 2007


Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning 
Higher and Further Education roundtables
6 June 2007
23 October 2007


Minister for Communities and Sport
Equalities
20 August 2007

NHS Finance

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive why NHS boards work to set budgets while local authorities have total debts of over £9 billion.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS boards have no statutory authority to borrow money and are required to break even on their revenue and capital budgets. The Scottish Government has no power to extend the borrowing capability of individual NHS boards in Scotland as it is a reserved matter for Westminster.

Nursing

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to expand the roles and responsibilities of school nurses.

Shona Robison: Our plans are to increase the range of nursing and other health care support available to school aged children and young people. A health care model targeted at deprived and other areas with high numbers of disadvantaged children will be developed in 2008. School nurses will have an important part to play in this.

Nursing

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many additional school nurses will be employed by 2011.

Shona Robison: The exact number of school nurses employed in 2011 will depend on a number of factors yet to be determined. Our intention is that those school aged children and young people in areas of greatest need will in the future have easier access to a wider range of nursing and other health care support. A health care model targeted at deprived and other areas with high numbers of disadvantaged children will be developed in 2008.

Parliamentary Questions

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-4824 and S3W-5415 by John Swinney on 15 October 2007, whether it is appropriate to use questions initiated by the Executive to provide information as an alternative to answering parliamentary questions already submitted on the same subject.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government guidance to staff on the answering of parliamentary questions states that when answering questions which are very similar or identical to previous questions it is accepted practice to refer the member to the question answered previously. The guidance also states that when answering inspired questions any other existing question on the same subject is answered on the same day as the inspired question. Question S3W-4824 asked for a subset of information that we were already committed to providing as part of a routine release of information in the inspired question S3W-5415.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

People with Disabilities

Bob Doris (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what figures are held in respect of the number of adults of working age who are physically disabled but able to work also expressed as a percentage of (a) all adults and (b) the total workforce.

Jim Mather: Data on the number of people who are physically disabled but still able to work are not held centrally.

  However information on people who declare themselves as disabled using the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) definition, people who declare themselves as work limiting disabled and people who declare themselves as both DDA and work limiting disabled is available from the Annual Population Survey.

  Table 1 shows the number of people with physical disabilities in each of the three categories described above and also expresses these figures as a proportion of all working age people.

  Table 2 shows the number of people with physical disabilities in each of the three categories who are in employment and also expresses these figures as a proportion of all people in employment.

  As these estimates are taken from a sample survey they are subject to a degree of error.

  Table 1 People Declaring Physical Disabilities in the Working Age Population

  

 
Both DDA and Work Limiting Disabled
DDA Disabled Only
Work Limiting Disabled Only
Total Disabled


Number
313,700
131,900
80,300
525,900


Percentage of the Working age Population
10.0%
4.2%
2.6%
16.8%



  Source: Annual Population Survey: January to December 2006.

  Notes:

  1. Working age is defined as males aged 16 to 64 and females aged 16 to 59.

  2. Definitions are based on self-classification.

  3. Those declaring mental disabilities have been excluded from this analysis.

  Table 2 People in Employment Declaring a Physical Disability

  

 
Both DDA and Work Limiting Disabled
DDA Disabled Only
Work Limiting Disabled Only
Total Disabled


Number
106,000
112,200
54,000
272,200


Percentage of people in employment
4.5%
4.7%
2.3%
11.5%



  Source: Annual Population Survey: January December 2006.

  Notes:

  1. People in employment includes employees, those who are self-employed, people on government training schemes and unpaid family workers.

  2. Definitions are based on self-classification.

  3. Those declaring mental disabilities have been excluded from this analysis.

People with Disabilities

Bob Doris (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of physically disabled adults of working age are in (a) full-time and (b) part-time employment.

Jim Mather: Information on people who declare themselves as disabled using the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) definition, people who declare themselves as work limiting disabled and people who declare themselves as both DDA and work limiting disabled is available from the Annual Population Survey

  Table 1 shows the percentage of people in each of these three categories who are in full-time and part-time employment.

  As these estimates are taken from a sample survey they are subject to a degree of error.

  Table 1 Full-Time and Part-Time Employment of those with Physical Disabilities

  

 
Both DDA and Work Limiting Disabled
DDA Disabled Only
Work Limiting Disabled Only
Total Disabled


Full Time
23.1%
65.1%
51.4%
38.0%


Part Time
10.7%
19.9%
15.6%
13.8%


Total Employment
33.8%
85.1%
67.2%
51.8%



  Source: Annual Population Survey: January to December 2006.

  Notes:

  1. Working age is defined as males aged 16 to 64 and females aged 16 to 59.

  2. Definitions are based on self-classification.

  3. Those declaring mental disabilities have been excluded from this analysis.

Planning

Nigel Don (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have taken place regarding the continuation of the Planning Development Programme.

Stewart Stevenson: The future of the Planning Development Programme has been considered as part of this year’s Spending Review.

Planning

Nigel Don (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of delays in securing post-planning approval receipt of agreements such as section 75 agreements and, if so, what plans it has for addressing such delays.

Stewart Stevenson: Planning agreements play an important role in regulating the use of land to make development acceptable in land use planning terms and also in facilitating the provision of related infrastructure. The negotiation of agreements can be a time consuming process. In the light of the UK Government’s decision not to pursue the proposed Planning Gain Supplement, the Scottish Government will undertake a review of the operation of the systems of planning agreements in Scotland. This review will aim to ensure that we have a system that allows the public to benefit from planning gain and enables sustainable economic development at a local and national level.

Planning

Bill Wilson (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, if approval is given for the proposed development of Bishopton Royal Ordnance Factory to proceed, how the work will be monitored to ensure that approved standards and agreed requirements will be met and what actions will be taken, and by whom, if any deviations are found.

Stewart Stevenson: Monitoring of development for which planning permission has been granted is the responsibility of the relevant planning authority. It is for the planning authority to determine the level of monitoring they deem appropriate for any individual development.

  Planning authorities have a range of powers available which they can use to enforce planning control. Where a breach of planning control is detected, it is for the planning authority to decide the appropriate action to be taken to correct the breach.

Planning

Bill Wilson (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, when a planning application for the development of contaminated land is being considered, which specialist organisation assesses the potential impact on the health of the local population, analogous to the way that Scottish Natural Heritage assesses the impact on wildlife and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency assesses the impact on water quality.

Stewart Stevenson: Developers should take professional and expert advice in support of planning applications to consider the health impacts on the local population of developing contaminated land. Additionally, it is for the planning authority to decide which organisations to consult on such applications. They may consult health authorities, local authority environmental health departments and Health Protection Scotland.

Planning

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-6037 by Stewart Stevenson on 12 November 2007, why Planning Advice Note 74 (PAN 74) is not mentioned in Firm Foundations: the Future of Housing in Scotland .

Stewart Stevenson: Firm Foundations sets out the Scottish Government’s proposals to make the housing system in Scotland offer an improved supply and choice across all tenures. A central aspiration in the discussion document is to see a step change in the numbers of homes of all types built in Scotland in order to meet requirements for housing. Firm Foundations also notes a number of actions already underway that will strengthen the housing and planning delivery framework. One of these actions is the current review of Scottish Planning Policy 3 on housing, which will strengthen national policy on housing to ensure the provision of sufficient land for housing and support the creation of quality residential environments. The revised SPP3 will continue to link with the guidance on the delivery of affordable housing (PAN 74) that has now been in place for over two years.

Planning

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Housing Supply Task Force will consider the effectiveness of Planning Advice Note 74 (PAN 74).

Stewart Stevenson: The primary purpose of the Housing Supply Task Force is to tackle blockages that are preventing the construction of housing of all types across Scotland. The Task Force is taking evidence from a range of stakeholders on the issues to be addressed to support delivery of more housing in the short term and will form its work programme accordingly. I also refer the member to the question S3W-6037 answered on 12 November 2007, in respect of PAN74.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Public Transport

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to continue the Bus Route Development Grant scheme and, if so, whether it will maintain the current levels of funding allocated to the scheme.

David Whitton (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will continue to fund the Bus Route Development Grant scheme and, if so, for how long and how much it will allocate.

Stewart Stevenson: Yes. With effect from 2008-09 the funding currently provided by the Bus Route Development Grant will be subsumed within the local government finance settlement and will be available to local authorities to support new bus services in their area.

Rail Network

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of Scotland’s gross value added or gross domestic product was spent on rail infrastructure in the last five years for which information is available and what the projections are for the subsequent five years.

Stewart Stevenson: The Railway Act 2005 devolved greater responsibility for railways and rail transport in Scotland to Scottish ministers therefore information is not held for prior years. In 2006-07 £536 million was spent on rail infrastructure in Scotland. The associated budget for 2007-08 is £611 million, budgets for the period 2008-09 to 2010-11 were announced on 14 November. Price value estimates of annual Scottish GVA for these years are not yet available.

Rail Network

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3O-212 by Stewart Stevenson on 14 June 2007, when it will make a decision on the timescale for commencing construction of Aberdeen Crossrail following consideration of the STAG 2 appraisal.

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a detailed breakdown of the timetable for construction of the Aberdeen Crossrail project.

Stewart Stevenson: The STAG 2 appraisal has not yet been finalised by the North East of Scotland Transport Partnership (NESTRANS). We are therefore not in a position to make a decision on this.

Rail Network

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will provide a timetable for construction of the Aberdeen Crossrail project.

Stewart Stevenson: The STAG 2 appraisal has not yet been finalised by the North East of Scotland Transport Partnership (NESTRANS). It is therefore premature to talk about construction timescales.

Rail Services

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has been involved in any research to ensure that there is an equitable pricing regime for rail fares across Scotland.

Stewart Stevenson: We are currently reviewing the rail fares policy that we inherited as part of the current rail franchise to consider whether there are any improvements that can be made. This will include consideration of the variation in rail fares across the country and across different ticket types.

Roads

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the delay to public consultation on improvements at the Haudagain roundabout in Aberdeen will have on the overall timescale for the project.

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it now believes that work on improvements at the Haudagain roundabout in Aberdeen will begin.

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that a flyover should be one of the options consulted on for improvements at the Haudagain roundabout in Aberdeen, given that public consultation has been delayed.

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the timescale for the regeneration of Middlefield in Aberdeen is likely to have on the timescale for improvements at the Haudagain roundabout and what dialogue it has had with Aberdeen City Council on this issue.

Stewart Stevenson: Following the recent reporter’s determination against the third Don Crossing as proposed in the Finalised Aberdeen Local Plan there is a requirement for the current Haudagain STAG assessment to take stock of the implications of this decision.

  This work is on-going with the outcomes expected early in the New Year. At that time a view will be taken by the Haudagain STAG Steering Group on how to proceed with the next round of public consultation. The Haudagain STAG Steering Group members include Aberdeen City Council, Nestrans and Transport Scotland.

  The Steering Group will also a take view in the New Year on whether other options may have to be considered once the implications of there not being a third Don Crossing are better understood.

  The Steering Group has had continuous dialogue throughout this STAG assessment. Amongst the points discussed is the regeneration of the Middlefield area of Aberdeen. It remains the position that any potential Haudagain intervention is not dependent on the regeneration of the Middlefield area proceeding.

  Beyond this the STAG assessment requires to be concluded before any final decision on what the most appropriate solution to the Haudagain Roundabout’s problems is.

Roads

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of Scotland’s gross value added or gross domestic product was spent on road infrastructure in the last five years for which information is available and what the projections are for the subsequent five years.

Stewart Stevenson: The information in the form requested is not available.

Roads

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of Scotland’s gross value added or gross domestic product was spent on motorway and trunk and principal road infrastructure in the last five years for which information is available and what the projections are for the subsequent five years.

Stewart Stevenson: Expenditure on motorway and trunk road infrastructure and its relative proportion of gross value added is shown in the following table. The associated budget for 2007-08 is £377 million, budgets for the period 2008-09 to 2010-11 were announced on the 14 November. The information in the form requested is not available for principal roads. Price value estimates of annual Scottish GVA for the period 2005-06 onwards are not yet available.

  

Year
Trunk Roads £ Million)
GVA (%)


2002-03
246
0.3


2003-04
299
0.4


2004-05
325
0.4


2005-06
382
N/A


2006-07
464
N/A

Scottish Government Funding

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide any funding to cities in addition to the standard local government settlement in recognition of their complex role in supporting the economy.

John Swinney: Scotland’s cities will benefit from the new arrangements announced as part of the Strategic Spending Review on 14 November 2007. The package of measures jointly agreed with COSLA marks a fundamental shift in the relationship between the Scottish Government and local government.

  One element of the package is a fair cash settlement for local government. Other elements include the introduction of a Single Outcome Agreement, a significant reduction in ring-fencing of separate capital and revenue grants, streamlining bureaucracy and reporting requirements, and the retention of efficiency savings.

  These new arrangements, and the freedoms and flexibilities that they afford, will give city-based local authorities greater scope to maintain their investment in city infrastructure as part of their vital role in supporting the economy.

Scottish Government Staff

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of its staff are registered disabled; how this relates to its targets for employing disabled staff, and what action it is taking to increase the number of disabled people it employs.

John Swinney: Targets for employing disabled staff in the Scottish Government vary according to pay band. The targets are currently set for April 2008, and the following table shows progress across the bands at October 2007.

  

 
Overall
Known
Target


Senior Civil Service
5.0%
5.7%
4.0%


Band C
2.2%
2.8%
3.0%


Band B
3.8%
5.1%
5.4%


Band A
5.9%
9.4%
8.8%


All staff
4.2%
5.9%
-



  The provision of such information is voluntary. Therefore, the overall figure is calculated for all staff, while the known figure is calculated for those who have provided an answer to our monitoring questions regarding disability.

  The Scottish Government is committed to increasing the diversity of staff within the organisation, and recognising and valuing what everyone has to offer. This includes a commitment to improving its policies and practices on disability and to fulfilling our duties under our Disability Equality Scheme. We also participate in the Jobcentre Plus "Positive about Disabled People" scheme. Under this scheme, all candidates who consider themselves to be disabled in terms of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, and who meet the essential minimum criteria for the post, will be guaranteed an interview.

Scottish Government Staff

Bob Doris (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff promotions were awarded across the Scottish Government in each year since 1999 and what percentage of these were awarded to physically disabled workers.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government has four grading bands for staff: A, B, C and the Senior Civil Service. The numbers of physically disabled staff promoted between these bands in all of the Scottish Government’s core Departments are set out as follows.

  

 
All Promotions
Secured by Physically Disabled Staff
As a % of All Promotions


April 2001 to March 2002
52
4
7.69


April 2002 to March 2003
32
*
 -


April 2003 to March 2004
27
*
 -


April 2004 to March 2005
41
1
2.44


April 2005 to March 2006
50
 *
 -


April 2006 to March 2007
91
4
4.4



  Note: *No physically disabled staff were promoted in these years.

Scottish Government Staff

Bob Doris (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many physically disabled individuals there are working in each Scottish Government department, also expressed as a percentage of all employees in each department.

John Swinney: The following table sets out the number of staff who have declared that they have a physical disability. The figures are for core permanent staff working in the Scottish Government at 3 November 2007 and are broken down by the business areas line managed by each of the five Scottish Government Directors-General (DGs) and the Permanent Secretary respectively.

  

 
Total Head Count
Physically Disabled Staff
As a % of Total Head Count


DG Economy
692
14
2.0%


DG Education
685
23
3.4%


DG Environment
944
25
2.6%


DG Health
440
13
3.0%


DG Justice
628
19
3.0%


Permanent Secretary
888
32
3.6%


Total
4,277
126
2.9%

Smoking

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what research is available on the illegal purchase of tobacco products from vending machines by young people.

Shona Robison: In 2006, 10% of 13 and 15-year-old smokers who participated in the Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use Survey (SALSUS) reported obtaining cigarettes from vending machines.

Smoking

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the rise in the minimum legal age for tobacco sales will have on the number of young people who illegally buy cigarettes from vending machines.

Shona Robison: It is too early to say what impact there has been. However, we will continue to monitor reported sales from cigarette vending machines by 13 and 15-year-old smokers through the Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use Survey (SALSUS). We will also examine the scope for obtaining information about sales from vending machines by 16 and 17-year-olds in a future Scottish Health Survey.

Smoking

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to commission research on the impact that the rise in the minimum legal age for tobacco sales will have on the number of young people who illegally buy cigarettes from vending machines.

Shona Robison: While there are currently no plans to commission specific research in this respect, we will be able to identify any changes in the number of 13 and 15-year-old smokers who usually purchase cigarettes from vending machines through the Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyles and Substance Use Survey (SALSUS). We will also examine the scope for obtaining information about sales from vending machines by 16 and 17-year-olds in a future Scottish Health Survey.

Smoking

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to implement a ban on the sale of tobacco products from vending machines.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government currently has no plans to implement a ban on the sale of tobacco products from vending machines. However, reducing the availability and attractiveness of tobacco products to young people, including through much more rigorous enforcement of tobacco sales law will be a key focus of the proposed five-year smoking prevention action plan to be published next spring. The law currently makes provision for a court order to be made stipulating precautions to be taken by the owner or operator to prevent vending machines being used by under 18s or, if necessary, for the machine to be removed altogether. In developing our proposals we will consider what more can be done within the existing legislative framework to reduce illegal sales from vending machines.

Special Advisers

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-4830 by John Swinney on 31 October 2007, how much was claimed in expenses by each special adviser.

John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-4830 on 31 October 2007 which provided overall travel and subsistence expenses for special advisers but this information was not broken down by individual name. Special advisers are employed on the same terms and conditions as civil servants. It is not Scottish Government practice to publish such details on an individual basis as this information is regarded as personal and thus is within the scope of the data protection principles set out in the Data Protection Act 1998.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Special Advisers

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-4825 by John Swinney on 15 October 2007, whether immigration status was a factor in Ms Erickson’s employment status with the Executive.

John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-6024 on 19 November 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

  Ms Jennifer Erickson was not a permanent employee of the Scottish Government. She was engaged as a consultant for a short period of time to provide continuity of advice in relation to a specific project, the establishment of the Council of Economic Advisers. The fact that she was a non-UK resident and would not, other than in exceptional circumstances, have been eligible for a civil service contract was therefore a consideration in the decision to engage her on consultancy terms on a time-limited basis.

Sport

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action would be required in connection with the Royal Charter establishing sportscotland if the Scottish Government seeks to abolish the organisation.

Stewart Maxwell: No final decision has yet been taken on the future of sportscotland. It is our aim to complete the review of sportscotland by the end of the year.

  However, the Royal Charter can be revoked by an Act of The Scottish Parliament or by the Sovereign. In practice, a chartered body is normally dissolved through voluntary action culminating in a Petition for Surrender. This is achieved by the body petitioning The Queen in Council to accept the surrender of its Charter. The Petition is accompanied by an appropriate Deed of Surrender together with the original Charter bearing the Great Seal (and any Supplemental Charters). All these documents are then sent to the Privy Council Office. Acceptance of the surrender is signified by an Order in Council, which usually recites the terms of the Deed of Surrender. The chartered body ceases to exist from the date on which such an Order in Council is made.

  The procedure, and the form of the Petition and Deed of Surrender may vary according to the body’s constitution, and the Privy Council Office needs to be consulted in every case.

  There are a number of other possible options that could achieve the identified objective.

Supermarkets

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects a decision to be taken on Tesco Stores Ltd’s request for a public local inquiry in respect of its planning application to build a major superstore at Beith Street, Partick, Glasgow.

Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-6007 on 8 November 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Young Offenders

Stuart McMillan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation has taken place on the introduction of a young offenders institution at HM Prison Gateside in Greenock and with whom and when such consultation took place.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  Designation of Darroch Hall at HM Prison Greenock to accommodate young offenders is an operational decision for the Scottish Prison Service. As Chief Executive I have a duty to ensure best use of accommodation taking account of varying population pressures.

Young Offenders

Stuart McMillan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated (a) set-up and (b) annual running costs are of a young offenders institution at HM Prison Gateside in Greenock.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  (a) There are no set up costs involved, and (b) the annual running costs of operating one accommodation hall for young adults in HM Prison Greenock will be managed within the establishment’s existing overall operating budget for 2007-08 of £7.6 million.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body First Minister’s Question Time

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how many (a) times each MSP has applied for public gallery tickets, (b) public gallery tickets each MSP has applied for, (c) times each MSP has been provided with public gallery tickets and (d) public gallery tickets each MSP has received for First Minister’s Question Time (FMQT) since May 2007.

Tricia Marwick: The system used for ticket bookings does not record enquiries which do not result in a successful booking. The following table shows the number of times when each MSP has been able to book tickets for Debating Chamber public gallery tickets in the period from 23 May 2007 to 8 November 2007, and the total number of tickets that each MSP has received for FMQT during that period. The numbers in the FMQT column may be lower than the column showing the number of bookings, as the latter includes bookings for business other than FMQT.

  

 
Number of Bookings
Number of Tickets for FMQT


Brian Adam 
16
31


Bashir Ahmad 
1
2


Bill Aitken 
2
4


Wendy Alexander 
3
1


Alasdair Allan 
5
16


Jackie Baillie 
13
38


Claire Baker 
3
14


Richard Baker 
1
0


Sarah Boyack 
7
2


Rhona Brankin 
1
0


Gavin Brown 
2
5


Keith Brown 
5
12


Robert Brown 
1
2


Derek Brownlee 
4
5


Bill Butler 
4
13


Aileen Campbell
4
4


Jackson Carlaw 
4
3


Malcolm Chisholm 
10
6


Angela Constance 
2
2


Cathie Craigie 
3
9


Bruce Crawford 
6
8


Roseanna Cunningham 
8
34


Margaret Curran 
1
0


Bob Doris 
12
16


Helen Eadie 
5
2


Fergus Ewing 
8
8


Patricia Ferguson 
1
0


Alex Fergusson 
12
149


Joe FitzPatrick 
2
0


George Foulkes 
1
0


Murdo Fraser 
4
4


Karen Gillon 
14
180


Marlyn Glen
4
2


Trish Godman 
7
32


Charlie Gordon 
4
30


Christine Grahame 
3
15


Rhoda Grant 
3
5


Robin Harper 
9
2


Christopher Harvie 
3
0


Patrick Harvie 
1
0


Hugh Henry 
2
0


Jamie Hepburn 
6
5


Jim Hume 
8
0


Fiona Hyslop 
1
1


Adam Ingram 
7
4


Cathy Jamieson 
1
0


Alex Johnstone 
4
0


James Kelly 
2
0


Andy Kerr 
5
11


Johann Lamont 
3
5


John Lamont 
9
70


Marilyn Livingstone 
10
11


Richard Lochhead 
9
51


Kenny MacAskill
12
38


Lewis Macdonald 
12
37


Margo MacDonald 
4
1


Ken Macintosh 
11
90


Paul Martin 
1
10


Tricia Marwick 
9
23


Jim Mather 
1
0


Michael Matheson 
2
10


Stewart Maxwell 
2
4


Frank McAveety 
1
0


Tom McCabe 
1
25


Jack McConnell 
1
5


Jamie McGrigor 
4
0


Alison McInnes 
2
0


Ian McKee 
1
4


David McLetchie 
18
10


Michael McMahon
2
25


Stuart McMillan 
1
2


Duncan McNeil 
1
2


Pauline McNeill
4
0


Des McNulty 
9
7


Nanette Milne 
2
30


Margaret Mitchell 
3
2


Alasdair Morgan 
3
14


Mary Mulligan 
3
0


Alex Neil 
1
2


Hugh O'Donnell 
2
0


Irene Oldfather 
3
5


John Park 
3
0


Gil Paterson 
3
5


Peter Peacock 
5
9


Cathy Peattie 
6
56


Mike Pringle 
20
23


Jeremy Purvis 
10
6


Shona Robison 
2
21


Mike Rumbles 
2
28


Michael Russell 
5
0


Alex Salmond 
22
57


John Scott 
10
10


Tavish Scott 
1
0


Richard Simpson 
6
14


Elaine Smith 
2
0


Elizabeth Smith 
4
26


Iain Smith 
1
0


Margaret Smith 
3
0


Nicol Stephen 
10
0


Stewart Stevenson 
2
25


David Stewart 
1
0


Jamie Stone 
3
2


Nicola Sturgeon 
5
4


John Swinney 
22
192


Dave Thompson 
1
0


Jim Tolson 
2
1


Stefan Tymkewycz
3
1


Maureen Watt 
4
30


Andrew Welsh 
1
0


Sandra White 
9
6


Karen Whitefield 
2
2


David Whitton 
2
0


Bill Wilson 
1
2


John Wilson
4
4